A Possible Future
by atemu1234
Summary: Wrote this story because I felt like it. Don't like Draco-Hermione fics, don't read. Rated M for possible future sexual scenarios.
1. Chapter 1

A battered Muggle boat came up to the docks of Hogwarts. Out of the dented hatch on the right side of the boat opened and Hermione stepped out. "Go away Ronald," she said with venom, "I never want to see you again!"

In her hands were suitcases labeled with dozens of cities. Florence, New York, London, all there. But she was not going to any Muggle city this time. She was returning to Hogwarts, were she would finally be away from the arse that broke her heart. Since the Second Wizarding War, Harry had accepted a job at Hogwarts as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She had decided, along with numerous other things, that she would send owls to both McGonagall and Harry asking if she stay there on a temporary basis, maybe a year, to resume her studies. She would, of course, pay for bed and board on the Eighth level of Gryffindor tower. While McGonagall was skeptical, saying this was not a Muggle hotel, were you could check in and stay for a night, Harry convinced her it was the best thing to do. He had sent owls saying he had changed her mind, but that Hermione would have to take on duties as head of the Gryffindor house. She had agreed, and on the bright side she wouldn't have to pay. But there weren't a lot of bright sides here. She wasn't doing this to resume her studies; she was doing it to escape Ron, who she had _walked in on_ cheating on her. While Lavender and Ron both apologized, she hit them both with the Full Body Bind, and packed her bags, while booking a boat that she charmed to take her to Hogwarts. Ronald had Apparated from the dock and she had to deal with him for the past _five-and-a-half_ hours. She had even had to deal with him when she Apparated the boat over land. When she got off the boat, Ron, who was as slinky and idiotic as ever, tried to follow her, but he was shocked by a bit of localized lightning. The grounds were magically protected from those who tried to enter without permission.

He called after her gruffly, "C'mon Mione! You can't expect to stay here forever! It was just one time! I need you, " he paused here, then continued pleadingly, "Please, don't go. Lavender- while, I sent her awa-"

"Ronald Weasley," she said, "I have put up with you for three years since the war. In that time you've got it into your head that if you just stay home, watch TV and charm brooms to clean, I need you. While Ron, I've got news for you. I can charm brooms even better than you can!"

Ron looked startled, but most likely because he knew she was leaving. Hermione turned to the castle. "Give Lavender my regards," she said, and walked towards the castle. Ron was about to say something, but over her shoulder Hermione pointed her wand at the boat and said, "Locomotor Boat," and the boat sped away.

Halfway to the gate, a black cloaked figure moved towards her. He was dressed in a cloak, a white collared shirt buttoned about three quarters of the way up, dress shoes and black pants. His hair was black and stood up in odd places and he was holding a wand, about 11 inches long. She recognized Harry! She ran forward and he sped towards her. She gave him a hug that about cracked his ribs and said, "Harry, I'm so glad to see you," and she smiled at him. He smiled also and said, "If your hug wasn't pinning both my arms to my sides I'd hug you back," his voice sounded hoarse. She looked up at his voice, different from three years ago, and she noticed a scar running along his throat. She let go of his arms and put a hand up to the old wound. "Oh my, Harry," she moved forward to hug him again, but he held up his arms in a mock-defense. "Please," he said, "No more hugging. I don't think my ribs could take it."

She pointed at his throat, "But what's that-," he grimaced at her words. "Sectumsempra curse. I acted as an Auror last year to round up a couple of die-hard Death Eaters. Took a little bit of me with them," he then muttered about Augustus Rookwood. Hermione covered her mouth. Harry smiled. "So I'll never sing Soprano again. Big deal. The scars why I took a liking to collared shirts, but, I was in a hurry."

He winked at her. She gave him a slightly watery smile and he smiled back. "I guess owls don't tell you much about a person's voice, do they?"

She said, "I guess they don't, do they?"

He smiled again. "Hey, no fair, that was my question," he said. She got up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed a brighter crimson than Ron's hair. "Hey, I'm married now."

She looked surprised. "What, when, where, and why wasn't I invited?"

"You were. But I believe Ron sent back an owl and said you had Dragon Pox. I thought he was lying," he said, glancing at her fair skin. "You should probably ask Ginny more about it. And I thought I had a good memory. She even remembers the Latin names of the corsage I gave her. Amazing," he mused. They were now walking towards the castle, their feet leading them like trained dogs. Harry then said, "The staff is quite simple. I'm D.A.D.A., Ginny's charms, Neville's Herbology, Luna's both Ancient Runes and Divination, we don't know how she manages. Binns remains as History of Magic, Cho Chang is Transfiguration and Draco Malfoy is Potions."

Hermione's jaw dropped like it was tied to a two ton weight. "He works here now?"

Harry nodded. "Since Slughorn retired a year ago. Don't give him trouble, Hermione. He's reformed… kinda. He still is a bit against me, but he is diplomatic. McGonagall reckons that we just don't get along because we represent different houses. Load of codswallop. However, he is now no longer prejudiced against Muggle-Borns. He seems to just dislike me," he smiled again, and said, "While, here we are, come on inside."


	2. Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy sat in the Hallway lounging against a statue of a witch in armor with a sword in one hand and a wand in another. His platinum blonde hair was prematurely streaked with grey, and his gray cloak was dusty and dirty. He had been traveling over the country over the summer and had just Apparated in from Florence, Italy. He was scowling at a picture on the wall. Across from his was a cabinet containing a picture of Nicholas Flamel. He had been hunting the man for his formula for the Philosopher's Stone, but had simply came upon his and his wife's remains. He suddenly heard the doors at the other end of the hall and he slid to the other side of the statue, hoping to remain unnoticed. He heard Harry walking and talking down the hallway and another, female voice… could it be? He turned around the side of the stature to see Hermione Granger walking down the hallway.

He swore under his breath. But the slightest sound in this place was enough to alert them to his presence. He turned back and heard, "Harry, did you hear that?"

Harry pointed his wand at the statue and said, "_Homenum Revelio!_ Draco! Get out here. She's a staff member now too. At least be cordial for god's sake."

Draco walked out from behind the statue with his hands in the pocket. Hermione looked him over, he looked about the same except maybe a couple inches taller and his hair had gray in it now. He looked, all in all, like a sulking teenager. His eyes were focused down and his teeth were bared like a growling dog. She noted that his eyes were a darker shade of grey than before, but that might just be the lighting. He was even paler, most likely because he had been working in the subterranean Potions lab. The only difference seemed to be that he was- if anything- a bit less pompous than school. Oh, if Pavarti was here now.

Draco looked up at her and- was she imagining, or was he blushing a bit? Yes, he was, and she was wondering whether it had to do with her or with Harry calling him out? Probably the latter. But he smiled a little, but it was just the slightest upturning of his lips, mostly still bared teeth. "Hello Harry," he said, "Glad to see you're back," and the last bit sounded like he was grinding his teeth. With the ironic words he took a bow to Hermione, an old-fashioned gesture that both intrigued and surprised her. Was this him being sarcastic or perhaps civil? Most likely the former, for he was now smiling. He then turned on his heels and walked away, and within seconds it was like he was never there.

Hermione blinked. Harry seemed to be a little taken aback. "Was that Malfoy actually being a gentleman? By god, I think the world may be coming to an end."

He drew his wand. "Welcome back to Hogwarts. Seems like just yesterday we walked down these hallways as students, wondering what we'd do after school ended and we were adults? Well, now it's the opposite, we walk down these halls knowing what we'll do."

Hermione watched down the hallway were Malfoy had gone. She said, "Yes, it is odd."

Then she remembered, "Didn't you say he reformed?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You don't think… Hermione, don't try it."

But she ran down the hallway after Draco.

Finally she came to the potions corridor and ran down it. The blue-flamed torches were crackling in their wall brackets. She ran into Snape's old office, and was startled to see a life-sized portrait of- what looked like- Draco Malfoy hanging. The picture shown had the same Blonde hair, face, and almost everything except- she noted- that his eyes were Green, not grey.

"And what," said Malfoy, "Are you doing down here, Miss Granger?"

Draco Malfoy had broken into a run when he had gotten to the Potions corridor. Finally, he charmed open his door and sat down at his desk. Why now? Why is it that when he had a chance at his goal, no matter how obsolete that goal, or order, was now, something got into the way? Why was he inexplicably atr- wait, what was that? He heard a noise from down the hallway, and went and found Granger staring at the painting of his grandfather. "And what," he said, "are you doing down here, Miss Granger?"

She looked startled. "This," he said, "Was my grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy, directly after he graduated from Hogwarts. Head boy, Prefect, Seeker on the Quidditch team, everything he could have wanted lain out before him. But none of it was good enough. He decided that he wanted to journey, and he disappointed his own father, Bartimaeus Malfoy, by coming home without a penny to spare. But then, he got lucky. He married into a rich family with only one member left, Annabell Alkahest. He became rich beyond his family's wildest dreams. And that fortune continues to exist to this day. He died many years later, of Dragon Pox, with only one son, my father, who only had one son, myself."

She continued staring. He spoke slightly louder and slower. "Are you brain dead or just hard of hearing?"

She snapped out of it. "I-I-I was c-c-c-coming down here to see why you left."

He raised an eyebrow in a manner that suggested she was an idiot. "Because certain professors of Defense Against the Dark Arts classes do not get along with former Death Eaters. It is anyone's guess why."

At this he smiled, and Hermione looked down. _Damn it_, he thought,_ that is exactly the worst response that was possible._

She said, "While, see you at the start-of-term feast."

And she walked away, disappointed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry about how long it took to update. There was a Blackout by my house.**

A week after Hermione had arrived at Hogwarts, the students arrived. She knew that while she may be a bit curious about Draco, she had to focus. A disorganized teacher is one thing Hogwarts didn't need. She ran into Harry several times, but they were both busy and didn't have much time to talk. Professor McGonagall called her into her office on the final day before the summer was officially over, and the students would arrive. She walked to the gargoyle of the seventh floor, and the gargoyle rotated to face her. It snarled at her then said in a snide voice, "Password?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Dumbledore Triumphs!" she said rather loudly. She walked into the office and found her standing with three other people presided upon by Professor Minerva McGonagall. The people there were Luna, Neville, Cho Chang and- she gulped- Draco Malfoy. Minerva was sitting in the headmaster's office, which had been slightly remodeled since its days as both Dumbledore's and Snape's office. Behind McGonagall underneath the previous Headmaster's portraits was now a complete wall mural showing a picnic featuring many of the portrait's downstairs occupants. McGonagall looked Hermione over and said, "Well, Miss Granger, I'm glad you could join us this evening."

Then she focused upon all of them then and said, "Well, my former students, you have returned this year from your travels, some of whom," she focused on Malfoy, "I feared may not be able to return. Perhaps I should tell you now, that those who leave in the middle of the school year for any reason except of the highest and most urgent importance will be not invited to return. As these things go, we are also in danger from a new foe. Certain Death Eaters are reforming into an army and gathering followers. While they are not strong enough to mount an attack on any place of such security as Hogwarts, " she smiled, "as nowhere is quite as magically guarded as Hogwarts- perhaps the Ministry may be a close tie- but they are becoming an unwelcome worry. Well-as I said- we are most likely safer here than most other places on the planet, they may be foolhardy of thickheaded enough to attempt an assault."

She paused a moment, as if allowing this news to sink in. It didn't need to. It had been news all over the Wizarding World that Voldemort's followers were reforming against the ministry. The main leader appeared to be Rudolphus Lestrange. McGonagall harrumphed a little for attention, then continued. "As this is a danger to everyone, we ask you be on the lookout and do not fail to report any suspicious activity, " at this point she looked at Malfoy, a little sourly, "Even if they are just a student."

She turned behind her, and then Hermione saw a triptych of Albus, Aberforth and Arianna Dumbledore. She waved her wand over her shoulder and the door of the office opened. Then she said curtly, "You are free to go."

As Hermione left, she walked up alongside Harry, "I heard that Malfoy had been to Florence, " Said Harry. Hermione nodded. She had heard that from Ginny, who had probably been the one to tell Harry. Hermione then said, "So, why was he there?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "No one seems to know. All we can guess is he went there for some reason."

Hermione rolled her eyes. They continued down the hallway. Harry asked inquisitively, "Why do you want to know about Malfoy?"

Hermione blushed a little, then said, "Just curious."

"Oh, " Harry said. Then he turned, and winked at Ginny.


End file.
